Graduate Academic Progress for Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Graduate Financial Aid Recipients

黑洞社区’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid Recipients is comprised of two components:  A qualitative and a quantitative. The qualitative component is measured by the student’s GPA; whereas, the quantitative component is measured by the successful completion of credits. Both components are described in detail below.

Qualitative Measure - Grade Point Average

The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Federal Financial Aid (Title IV) Recipients mirrors the University’s academic policy with regard to GPA. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 

GPA review occurs at the end of every semester. Students who do not meet the required minimum will be placed on financial aid warning and must sign a Financial Aid Warning Letter, which indicates students:

  • are aware that they are not making satisfactory academic progress based on cumulative GPA
  • understand that they are on financial aid warning
  • understand the consequence of not improving their GPA

Graduate students who do not attain the required 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA by the end of the next term of attendance will immediately become ineligible for financial aid.

Quantitative Measure – Completion Rate/Pace

In addition to GPA standards, students must progress at a 67% completion rate. This also includes all withdraws and repeated classes, each one counts once. (Example: MGT 6400 is taken and student withdraws. Student takes the class again and fails; then the student takes the class and passes, for federal financial aid purposes, this equals attempted 9 credits and passed 3 credits). That is, on a cumulative basis, students must successfully complete 67% of the credits attempted. Successful completion is defined as earning an "A", "B", "C", or "D" in a course.

Completion rate review occurs at the end of every semester. Students must attain and maintain a minimum completion rate of 67%. The policy for students who do not meet the minimum completion rate is as follows:

  • A student placed on financial aid warning is given one semester to improve his/her completion rate. In addition, the student must sign a Financial Aid Warning Letter, which indicates students:
    • are aware that they are not making satisfactory academic progress based on completion rate
    • understand that they are on financial aid warning
    • understand the consequence of not improving their completion rate

Quantitative Measure: Maximum Time Frame - (Maximum Number of Attempted Credits Allowed)

In addition to completion rate standards, students are restricted to the maximum number of credits for which they can receive financial aid. All students are expected to complete degree requirements within 150% of the number of credits required by the program. For example, if a graduate program requires 36 credits, students must complete it within 54 credits (36 x 150% = 54).

  • The 150% Maximum Time Frame is based on credits earned.
  • All transfer credits are included in the calculation.
  • Students who complete degree requirements are considered to have reached their Maximum Time Frames and are no longer eligible for financial aid.
  • Students who complete degree requirements and apply for and are accepted into a subsequent undergraduate or graduate degree program will receive a “new” 150% calculation. However, all credits attempted at 黑洞社区 and all transfer credits that can be included in the new degree will be counted.

Treatment of Specific Academic Circumstances:

Treatment of W, I, F, FA and NA Grades, No Grade Reported and Repeated Coursework

  • Course withdrawals ("W" grade) are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered a non-completion of attempted coursework.
  • Incomplete courses ("I" grades) are included in the GPA calculation as no credit earned (0 quality points earned towards the GPA) and are considered a non-completion of attempted coursework until the coursework is completed and graded with a permanent grade. 
  • In-Progress ("IP" grades) are considered a non-completion of attempted coursework until the coursework is completed and graded with a permanent grade. They are temporarily included in the completion rate calculation.
  • "F" grades, "U" grades, and unofficial withdrawals ("FA" and "NA" grades) are treated as attempted credits that were not earned and are included both in the calculation of GPA and completion rate.
  • If no grade is reported or a grade of X, the coursework is not included in the GPA calculation but is considered a non-completion of attempted coursework until the coursework is completed and graded with a permanent grade.
  • The highest grade earned in a course that is repeated will count in the GPA computation, but every repeated attempt will be included in the completion rate calculations.

Treatment of Change of Major

黑洞社区 does not reset SAP for students who change their majors or seek additional degrees. All credits attempted and grades earned within the student's current academic level (undergrad or graduate) are included in the SAP determination.

Treatment of Remedial Courses

Math (095) and English (095) review courses offered at 黑洞社区 are zero credits, graded as pass/fail, do not count towards students’ federal student aid eligibility, and are not included in the SAP determination. 

Treatment of credits transferred into the university from other schools

All credits accepted for transfer to the student’s program of study by 黑洞社区 are taken into consideration under the quantitative measurement component of SAP as both attempted and earned credits. Grades earned at other institutions are not counted when computing the student's GPA.

Financial Aid Warning

You will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester if you fail to meet the GPA and/or overall credit completion standards. While on warning you may still receive financial aid.

  • You are encouraged to use the Student Success Center for helpful guidelines for improving your academic performance.
  • To be removed from financial aid warning you must meet the required cumulative GPA and credit completion ratio standards by the end of your warning semester. Your federal financial aid will be suspended at that time if you failed to meet those standards.

Financial Aid Suspension

While on suspension, you are not eligible for most financial aid programs (the exceptions include some private loan programs and outside assistance that do not require Satisfactory Academic Progress).
  • You may attend the University, at your own expense, until you attain the cumulative GPA and cumulative credit completion requirement.
  • To regain financial aid eligibility your record must reflect that you have met these requirements or complete a Financial Aid appeal form and return it to our office by the semester deadline presented on the form. If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed back on financial aid probation under an “academic plan”. The academic plan will provide specific action for the student to take to reach the SAP standards in the number of semesters allowed by the plan.